Chasing Cars
by TrueThought
Summary: Oneshot, set 2 years after Revolution Part 1. It's basically a little view onto five years of League adventures I'm skipping over - sorry but that's how the story is going. Two criminals try to steal a truck with weapons on board only to discover it's not their night. Rated T for mild language (sort of)


**A.N.** Okay, it seems I can't keep away. This is a scene I've had in my head for some time but couldn't fit it into the narrative anywhere. So it's become a little mid-story between Revolution Parts 1 and 2. Basically it's your typical, JLA working together, laughing together, getting together (in BM and WW's case - slowly I know). Take a good look because they won't be this happy (exactly) for a while. This is set about 2 years after Revolution Part 1 and therefore about 8 years before Revolution Part 2 is going to start.

* * *

Steve Elshaw was a career criminal – it was a vocation he'd never questioned until today. He didn't move in the big leagues except when he sold something to someone who knew someone else who _was_ in the big leauges. He'd never had any ambition to change that fact until today. Today, however, had been different. Today he'd fallen in with Dan Small and his gang; and Dan Small _was _trying to move into the big leagues. And now there was blood all over the floor from the one guy who'd been stupid enough to try standing up the man pointing a gun at him.  
Dan Small had said there was something valuable – worth stealing – being loaded onto a truck in this warehouse; it would be worth selling to big players. So the plan was to drive it out of here, across town to a ship waiting for them at the docks. Somebody would be waiting to sail the ship to Asia and they'd get reputation and money. But then Dan hadn't been able to hold off shooting. Steve knew he was in big trouble.  
"Elshaw! Get in the truck!" Dan shouted from the driver's seat.  
Steve took one last look back at the dead worker and shuddered. Then he climbed into the passenger seat. Only a second later did he feel the rush of wind. Looking over to Dan's side of the truck he could see a red and yellow symbol through the driver's window.  
"Gentlemen I think you should step out of the truck," said a calm voice. Calm, but edged with malice. Shooting the worker had landed them in a _lot_ of trouble.  
Dan's response, however, was to stamp down on the accelerator, making the truck shoot out of the warehouse and onto the main roads.

Superman turned his head and watched the truck disappear round a bend in the road. Then he spoke into his earpiece.  
"J'onn, they're on the move. They've turned onto 5th Street, heading towards the freeway."

Steve could feel panic starting to grip him, "That was Superman. That was really Superman. Oh my God we've got Superman on us!"  
Dan used a free hand to slap him on the arm, "Stop panicking! Look out the window – he's not following us. We're in the clear!"  
Steve looked into the wing-mirror.  
His face went white, "Superman's not following us – look who is!"

Rushing between oncoming traffic below her Flash was as relaxed as if he were walking in the park; but then, for him, he wasn't going that fast. Hawkgirl raised a hand to her earpiece as she flew over the cars.  
"We're tracking them down 5th Street. The tunnel's just ahead – when do you want us to break off?"  
J'onn J'onnz's voice came over the channel from the Watchtower, "Make sure they go out the other side. The others are waiting for them there."  
Hawkgirl nodded, "Understood. Flash they need to go through the tunnel."  
Down below, Flash picked up the pace. Not enough to catch them, but enough to make them go up a gear or two.

They were driving straight down the middle of the road now, between the lanes of traffic. A near full-on collision had ripped the wing-mirror off Steve's side of the truck. So he was relieved when Dan yelled in triumph as they came out of the far side of the tunnel, "We've lost them!"  
Unfortunately their joy was short-lived. At first Steve couldn't be sure but very quickly his fears were proved right.  
Flying straight at them up the road were two figures; Wonder Woman and Green Lantern.  
Dan swore viciously and threw the truck into a swerve, turning off onto one of the exits for the freeway. Steve, unable to contain himself, leant out of the window to look back and found that the two heroes were still following them – in fact they were gaining on them at great speed.

Green Lantern swore in a colourful fashion, "That guy's quicker than we expected! How far away is the exit?"  
"Ten seconds."  
He cursed again and sent out a wall of light from his power ring blocking the freeway off just beyond the exit. The driver, on this occasion, was not quite quick enough. They'd left it too late to try and force him off the freeway and he went crashing through the green wall of light in front of him. Wonder Woman sped up, flying over the truck and diving into the road ahead of them. the impact shook the freeway, sending up a cloud of dust around her and a ridge of tarmac crumpled and rose like a barrier. The truck swerved again, this time down the exit on the opposite side of the freeway. Wonder Woman spoke into her earpiece, "J'onn, they're off the freeway but we couldn't get them at the right exit. Do you still have them on satellite?"  
"I do," J'onn's voice assured her, "and don't worry. I've got some backup in place – he's closing in now."

He was looking behind them again when he saw it through the lights of the traffic. Cape flapping, head shaped like it was made in hell, closing in fast. Any citizen of Gotham learned to fear it should they step outside the law and even here in New York the figure was well known and well feared. One look at Dan's face told Steve that he'd seen it too. Almost to confirm it he'd stepped on the accelerator again. They were now speeding down the middle of the road at a hundred miles an hour or more, yet the figure on the motorbike behind them was keeping up, weaving in and out of the cars behind them. Then all of a sudden he was shooting past them and ahead of them for several metres, before he threw the bike into a skid sideways, turning the bike so that it sat across the width of the road.  
Unfortunately he hadn't left them much breaking distance. The muscles twitched in Dan's face and you could see him summing up the figure in the road ahead. In a split second he made the decision that the Batman was more likely to come out the oncoming collision alive and sent the truck spinning round into an alleyway. They were still going so fast, they didn't have time to react to Superman's impregnable form standing in the middle of their path.  
The truck never stood a chance. Its front end crumpled round the hero and Steve was thrown bodily from the vehicle.

Steve looked up at a figure looming over him; it wore black and had pointed ears.  
"I didn't do it!" he protested, well aware that this would mean nothing.  
"I messed up," he continued, weakly.  
The Batman knelt next to him in the alleyway. "Yes, you did."  
Did he sound sorry? Disappointed even? Suddenly Steve felt disappointed with himself and even sorrier about the warehouse worker.  
The Batman stepped back as a couple of cops appeared to slap cuffs on him. As he was led away felt a hand fall on his shoulder.  
"You start again from here," Batman said quietly. "If not because I say so, because they say so." He cast an arm round to indicate the other heroes who had gathered in the mouth of the alley.  
Steve had nothing to say, so he simply nodded.

"I have to say; thanks Batman," John Stewart said as they walked back to where they'd parked the Javelin, next to the Batmobile, "We'd never have got there on our own."  
"World's greatest detective," Bruce pointed out with a shrug. "Make a note though; the weapons were probably going to R'as al Ghul."  
"What makes you think that?" Shayera asked.  
"Because he's the only real player in Asia now; if he wasn't going to use them himself he'd have been fencing them on so it's worth keeping an eye on."  
"Hey Bats," Wally cut in, "whaddya say to movie night on the watchtower? J'onn's pick this week."  
Bruce looked around the others, "Is this for real?"  
"We get takeaway," Shayera added, her tone almost making it an offer.  
"I'm really busy," Bruce replied, a trace of a laugh in his tone. He wasn't quite able to keep the smile off his face.  
"What's funny?" Wally asked.  
"It's just a rather surreal image. What's J'onn picked?"  
"Cabaret I think – what?" Wally said again because now Bruce's shoulders were shaking with laughter.  
"Sorry - that's it – I'm done! I'm not going to be able to look at you all seriously for several weeks!"  
Superman started to laugh as well, "The world's greatest heroes sitting down to watch a movie together is a bit strange I admit."  
"No I was just thinking of you all watching the Two Ladies sequence. I'm expecting a few raised eyebrows!"  
They all burst out laughing at that, apart from Diana who looked quizzical.  
"What's everyone laughing at?"  
"See what I mean? Oh, you've got a surprise in store!" Bruce chuckled.  
"Speaking of which we should get going," John said.  
"So should I," Bruce agreed.  
"Keep in touch Bruce," Clark told him, "or I may be forced to visit."  
"Remind me not to call you then," Bruce retorted, still grinning.

He turned and made his way over the Batmobile when a slight cough caused him to turn back. Diana was still standing on the roof; the others were all on board the Javelin.  
"Problem?" he asked.  
She looked offended, "Sorry, if I'm keeping you from something-"  
He shook his head, "No, I mean – is everything okay with you?"  
Diana shifted a little, "I – well the thing is…"  
She paused for a moment, trying to find the words. It always surprised Bruce how this woman, who he'd seen face down criminals, super villains and, on one occasion, a fully-grown mythical dragon without fear, felt so uncomfortable talking to him. It had the effect of making him feel ill at ease as well.  
"I was wondering," she began, "if there was a way I could see you – that we could spend time together – that wasn't either a mission or me telling you about any troubles I may have."  
He felt entirely wrong-footed, having not been expecting this turn in the conversation, but as the seconds passed and his mind turned the idea over he found himself nodding.  
"I'm sure we can think of something Princess."  
She returned his smile, "I'll be seeing you soon then." Then she turned and boarded the Javelin.  
"I really hope so," Bruce murmured, watching it fly away.

* * *

**A.N.** As I said, take a good look. Please R&R!  
(For anyone who likes film soundtracks, this was actually written to the track 'Prince Caspian Flees' from the Prince Caspian soundtrack. Basically the music starts as they're getting into the truck and driving off and particularly look out for Batman's big entrance at about 3.25 when the violins start going crazy! Weird I know, but this is how I think up half of this stuff!)


End file.
